Happy Earth Day
by Sithstrukk
Summary: The Clans have more trouble with pollution.


**My second story for Earth Day. I know it's a little late, but I was sick and couldn't use the computer, so...please read and review.**

Lionblaze stared at the sky with mounting anxiety. It was turning a nasty gray color. It was almost always tinged with gray smoke, but this time, it was really gray. The air smelled foul and seared his throat. It was like living next to dozens of Thunderpaths. He fought back the urge to vomit as he trodded through the undergrowth, nearly stumbling on a piece of twoleg rubbish blown by the wind. Prey was becoming increasingly scarce throughout the lake territory, and what remained was almost always poisoned. Firestar feared another Great Journey. But they had no where to go.

The towering twoleg structure shadowed nearly all of the lake terrirory. According to Hazeltail, a kittypet called it a factory. How and why Hazeltail was conversing with a kittypet Lionblaze did not know, but times were getting desperate.

Movement under a bush caught his eye. Lionblaze pounced on it. Killing it with a swift bite, he hissed and sprang back. It reeked of disease. Firestar had ordered all fresh kill caught that showed any signs of disease to be buried. Kicking dirt over it, Lionblaze fought back the urge to yowl in frustration. The Clan was starving!

Rain began to fall. It smelled foul and burned his pelt.

"Poison rain," Hollyleaf said, emerging from behind a cluster of brambles. Despite her calm voice, she looked panicked. Poison rain had claimed lives in only RiverClan so far, but no one was taking risks.

"Come on, let's go," Lionblaze said, taking off at a mad dash towards the camp.

Once inside the camp, Brambleclaw made them go straight to Leafpool. Inside the dim den, literally half the Clan was crammed into every corner, smelling of disease. Before Lionblaze could comment, Ferncloud raised her head weakly and said, "The other dens have poison rain in them now."

"Rest, Ferncloud," ordered Jaypaw. He started to rub something remakably sweet into Lionblaze's fur.

"I hope you had enough brains not to lick your fur," Jaypaw said dryly.

"Why can't we help our Clan? Why don't our powers work?" Lionblaze asked at barely a whisper. Jaypaw's sharp ears picked it up.

"I do what I can. I don't know anything else," he murmured. "Okay, you're good to go. But you have to stay in the nursery. The poison rain hasn't gotten there yet."

Lionblaze nodded and headed toward the nursery, hugging the shadows on the edge of the clearing.

Inside the nursery, Dustpelt and Millie where the only ones inside. The warm smell of milk and kits nearly drowned out the stench of the factory.

"We'll have to move, won't we?" Millie asked grimly.

"I don't know. With the factory and all the two-leg rubbish in the woods, nothing can survive," Dustpelt said. An unspoken dread hung in the air.

"Maybe the mountains are better," Lionblaze suggested optimistically.

Millie looked doubtful. Dustpelt just shrugged and gathered some moss into a nest. Lionblaze and Millie did the same. Within moments, they were sound asleep.

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"Twolegs are in the forest! They're all around the lake!" Berrynose yowled.

Lionblaze sprang from his nest and burst out of the nursery. "More factories?"

"Berrynose, you and the rest of your patrol come to my den," Firestar ordered briskly.

The Clan was held in suspense for several long minutes. Finally Firestar, Leafpool, Brambleclaw, and Berrynose's small patrol emerged from the den.

"Twolegs have invaded the lake territory, but their motive is unclear," Firestar announced. The healthy portion of the Clan was already gathered beneath the high rock. "I am sending out a patrol to investigate. Brambleclaw, Lionblaze, and Millie, you go."

Lionblaze nodded and followed his Clanmates out of the camp. The poison rain had stopped the night before, and some of the sick cats looked better. But the prey was still poisoned, the water acrid, and the factory kept spewing its smoke in an attempt to poison every living creature with miles.

But the trash was gone. The twolegs seemed to be picking it up. Hiding behind a bush, the patrol studied the group warily.

"They're picking up their rubbish? Why!?" Lionblaze exclaimed.

"Be quiet. Maybe I can understand some of what they are saying," Millie hissed. Ears pricked, she listened intently to the barking and yowling as they greeted a group of twolegs emerging from a monster's belly.

"They're saying...Happy Earth Day."

**But it doesn't end their. In the books the cats have problems with pollution all the time. It's pretty real. Happy Earth Day! Please review, I'd love to hear what you think.**


End file.
